As It All Fell to Pieces
by PhoenixLyric
Summary: Ash Ketchum ran from a false accusation of failure to protect everyone he cared about and found himself forced to abandon all he'd ever known. Aurian Borealis stumbled upon a secret that she was never supposed to discover and started running, leaving everyone she cared about behind. This is how it all fell to pieces... Prequel to Primary. AU.
1. Enigma

June 15th

36th Annual Sinnoh League Tournament

* * *

The lights of Lily of the Valley island vanished as the ferry pulled away from the slippery dock. I was the only passenger, seeing that everyone else was still stuck in the mayhem that I accidentally created a little over three hours ago. The sun slowly sank over the horizon and pulled the rest of the light away with it, leaving only the single lantern at the front of the run-down boat as a light source. The boat was shady enough anyways- banged up, dings in the front, chipped paint, cracks in the seats. If this thing sank, I'd be in a huge amount of trouble... not that I wasn't in that already.

My name is Ash Ketchum, and I'm a wanted man in all of Sinnoh.

I ran my fingers along my belt and made sure that I had everyone with me. Pikachu's empty pokeball, check. Buizel, Staraptor, Gliscor, Infernape, check. I'd switched Torterra out for Quilava before the mad dash to the ferry happened... and Professor Oak gave me some of the best advice I'd ever received as I waited for the switch to come through.

_ "Don't use your real name. People will know what's happened over there by now. The newscast only showed your back, but your hair's pretty distinguishable. Ditch the cap, grab a hoodie, and don't let anyone see your eyes." _

I asked what I should do.

_"Come back to Kanto. I know you're not the despicable human being the media's made you out to be. That Darkrai attacked you first, not the other way around. We'll talk more about this once you get here. Your mother's worried about you." _

I left soon after I hung up. It was easy to sneak out around the madness of people trying to get off the island on one of the high-class ferry boats. An old man sat on a rickety speedboat in a silent cove, and I paid my fare while he cranked the engine.

Pikachu sat on my shoulder, quiet in the night air. He gave me his signature glare and pointed at my stomach with a tiny finger. "Pikakachu, pikapi." I looked down and recoiled as I noticed the blood soaking my shirt. Even though the night air was stiflingly warm, I pulled my jacket tighter over my favorite- and soon to be ruined- black shirt.

"We're here, sonny," the pilot announced. "Have a good night."

"Thank you, sir," I replied with a quick wave as I jumped out of the boat.

The second I was out of sight in the darkness, I sat down, lifted the edge of my shirt, and gasped at what lay beneath it. One long, bloody claw mark seeped through the remains of a makeshift bandage and ran from the top of my right shoulder to the start of the left side of my hip- it didn't look great. The wound wasn't that deep, but its depth lied about the pain- Arceus, it hurt.

"Pikachu, patrol the area. Make sure that no one sees me while I do this." My starter nodded, and dashed off through the bushes. I shook my head as the memories of what happened less than an hour ago flew through my mind.

_ Attempting to save what was left of my team from a rampaging Darkrai... _

_Taking an ice-covered claw for Sceptile, who wouldn't have survived if the hit had made contact..._

_ Having my friends call me weak because of my futile attempt to fight off multiple legendaries with an exhausted and battle-worn team... _

_Fleeing to the ferry station while tying a makeshift bandage across the Darkrai claw mark in my chest... it was a miracle that I made it off the island alive and not in handcuffs. _

I bit the inside of my lip. What did Professor Oak used to say? There's a time and place for everything? Damn it, I couldn't afford to focus on what had already happened. I moved the makeshift bandage aside, and the wound glistened in the faint light. The only thing that mattered now was stopping the blood loss from my chest.

I glanced around to make sure that Pikachu was doing his job, and attempted to pull what little aura I could muster into a usable form in my palm. It was a lot harder without Sir Aaron's gloves, but I somehow managed to pull it off. Looked like my miracles hadn't run out just yet. I remembered Lucario briefly mentioning something about healing wounds with Aura, but couldn't remember the technique to save my life. I held the small cerulean sphere closer to my heart and watched in amazement as tiny tendrils of my darkest secret faded into the bandage, slightly easing the pain.

My vision started to waver after a good five minutes of aura-pumping, and I reluctantly let go of the sphere in my palm. Pikachu came back and squinted at the half-healed claw-shaped gouge in my chest.

"Kapi, Pikapi?" My partner's big brown eyes wavered.

I shrugged, then winced. "Bad idea. I'm a little better. It stopped bleeding, which is a good sign, but we're not out of the woods yet. We need to figure out a way to get back home. Professor Oak and Mom can help us out."

"Pikakachu." Pikachu nodded, then perched himself on my shoulder, careful to avoid any extra motion that would re-injure my chest.

"Great... any idea where we are?" I asked.

Pikachu shrugged. "Pi-kaka chu, Pikapi."

"It's not my fault for not keeping a map on me, that's normally Brock's job! Wait, maybe the Pokédex has something in it..."

Luckly enough, the small cataloger had a GPS chip in it, which showed relative directions to the nearest Pokémon Center. "Great! It's only about a mile and a half away..." We set off towards the Center, and lights appeared on the horizon after an eternity of minutes.

Pikachu pulled on my ear as we approached. "What?" I hissed. Pikachu jabbed a finger at a clearing about three-hundred feet in front of us. People in uniforms ran around as a figure with spiky red hair ordered them to different stations. I stared at the mess before me.

"Team Galactic?"

"Crap," I muttered. "Pika, what're we gonna do now?"

He paused. "Kapi, chupika?"

"Sneak around? Good idea, but it might not work. Any other ideas?"

"Pi!" he sighed, shooting me a glare. I shrugged and then winced again.

"Not my problem that we walked into this. Okay, we'll go with your option. Be super quiet."

My partner nodded, and we set off in a wide circle around the Galactics. We made it halfway around before a Grunt slammed into us, knocking Pikachu and I to the ground.

"Commander! We have intruders!" he yelled. A female in uniform walked over.

"Arceus, Brandt, you'd better be right this time around..." she trailed off as she saw the two of us. A spark of recognition entered her eyes, and I braced myself for the worse.

"You're the one that sent Cyrus off into the void!" Mars growled. "Thanks to you, we've had that stupid secret agent- Looker, wasn't it?- and his friends on our backs ever since Cyrus vanished. What'd you do to him, huh? Where'd you send him?" I backed away and tried to hide the fact that I was injured.

"I don't know! All I did was work with Azelf to get the job done. I'm only one-third of your problem. The two other people you're looking for aren't here."

"Liar! You spoke with Dialga before he vanished back into his dimension! Where's Cyrus?" she lunged towards me, a Pokéball in hand. The other grunts spread out in a combat formation around her, ready to react in an instant.

I'd never fought a Galactic grunt without a full team or backup from either Brock or Dawn. This situation was completely unknown- I'd never fought in a brawl. Looked like there was a first time for everything, though, and I ran backwards as Pikachu took a battle stance.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" I yelled, dropping to the ground. Yellow lightning flashed through the area, thoroughly singeing most of my opponents. Mars dodged, and released her entire team- a Purugly, a Crobat, and a Houndoom.

I winced when I saw the dark-type, but gritted my teeth and released Gible and Quilava to counterattack. Quilava was still slightly injured from his fight in the semis, and Gible trotted forward with a half-enthusiastic limp and his signature smirk.

The grunts that didn't pass out from electrocution released their Pokémon as well, and I counted at least fifteen different species among the mix.

_Holy crap, we're toast._

A figure shot out from the trees and waved in my direction before ordering a Dragon Pulse. An Altaria rocketed forward, slamming five Golbat with a purple-hued beam of mass destruction.

"Thought you could use a hand!" the figure said with a laugh and a mock salute. She shoved a mass of coppery curls and waves out of her face. "Let's get this over with."

I nodded and ordered a combination attack from Pikachu and Quilava- all distance based in order to preserve energy.

The girl had a battle presence that rivaled any top-tier gym leader or frontier head. Confidence radiated from her team as they took on up to three foes at once.

"Were you competing?" I yelled.

She dodged a Gust and swung her offensive around so that she could get a little closer to me. "Hell, no! Just competed in Johto a month ago..." she ducked an electric attack. "Ack! Empoleon, Hydro Cannon!"

Her statement was cut off by Mars' roar of frustration and a frantic Hyper Beam from Purugly. The Empoleon's attack invalidated Purugly's aim and the Hyper Beam shot up into the sky as the hideous cat tumbled backwards and down a hill.

I winced as I heard the sound of bones hitting earth. Mars returned her most powerful team member and lunged towards me with a fist extended.

I never knew that I had combat instincts, but my arm flew up to deflect her blow. Pikachu jumped on Mars' back and pulled on her hair, sending her veering away from me and towards the girl.

"I hate doing this..." my new ally muttered, " but we have no choice. Altaria, Thunder Wave!"

White lightning crackled from the dragon-type's beak, and completely encased the Galactic Commander. Pikachu jumped off Mars' back as she tumbled to the ground, paralyzed from the neck down. Mars started a stream of obscenities that vanished into the roar of battles, but Pikachu knocked her out soon afterwards with another attack.

The rest of the battle went smoothly after Mars went down. The girl and I teamed up to take down the rest of the Grunts, who fled into the night one by one as they were defeated. The last one tripped over a root on the ground on her way out, and knocked herself out on a rock in the path.

"We make a great team," I said with a shrug, turning to face my new ally.

"You could say thank you, you know," she said, a slight twinkle in her midnight eyes.

I frowned. "Thanks. And you are..."

"Aurian Borealis. You're Ash Ketchum," she replied, pointing a finger at my chest.

"Yours truly," I muttered. "How far has the news spread?"

She sighed. "My cousins in Unova called a few minutes ago to ask me about it. Going up against a raging legendary with a half-exhausted team was suicidal at best, but I like your style. It's the thought that counts."

"Thanks... I think? Why'd you help me?"

Aurian shoved her curly bangs out of her face and tried to tie her hair back with a worn-looking elastic. "Who wouldn't miss a chance to drive Galactic scum into the ground? Plus I'm on the run for… different… reasons, so we're in the same boat."

I called on a lesser-known aspect of Aura. I could tell if someone's trustworthy with one look into their eyes. I saw something within Aurian's midnight blue that I had never seen before. There was an all-too familiar cerulean spark in them. I thought I was alone in this generation with aura use...

"You're an aura user, aren't you?" I asked.

She raised her eyebrows. "What makes you say that, Ketchum?"

I pooled a bit of aura in my palm. "So am I."

Aurian's eyes widened, and a few violet blue sparks danced off her fingertips. "No way I'm ditching you now. We have to stick together for our own safety. You ever been followed for what you can do?"

I laughed, but then winced as my wound reminded me of its existence. Aurian yanked my shirt up and sucked in a large breath as she saw the extent of the claw mark.

"Well, your aura work helped a little. Want me to chip in?"

I nodded. "If you can."

She cartoonishly stretched her fingers and her eyes turned grave. Aurian called more sparks from her hands and directed them into my chest. I sighed in relief as muscles slowly started to knit back together.

"I've had more crazy adventures and attempts on my life than you could count on two hands," I said.

Aurian raised an eyebrow. "Really? Ever met any free legendaries?" "Most of them, actually." "Seems we have a lot more in common than I thought. Ever been to Unova? There're some trippy aura legends over there..."

A sheen of sweat appeared across her forehead, and I pulled her arm away. "You'll fall unconscious if you keep going. I owe you one."

She shook her head as she sat back on the ground. "Really?"

I nodded. "Learned that one the hard way in the Tree of Beginning a year ago."

"Really? I've always wanted to go there," she said wistfully. "Feels like something pulls me in that direction whenever I'm in Kanto."

"But the more important thing..." I trail off. "Where are we gonna go? I can't stay in Sinnoh, you probably can't go back to wherever you're from..."

"Sandgem," she blurts. "I'm from Sandgem, and I won't go back there until hell freezes over."

I picked myself up and started pacing back and forth. "Sinnoh's out of the picture. I'm from Kanto, my mom still lives in Pallet. She'll hear us out, give us some advice." She grinned, and I extended a hand so she could help herself up. "Whaddaya say? Outcasts together?"

"Together," I replied. "Where are we, anyways?"

"A mile outside of Sunyshore. Your team needs medical attention, and you could use some antiseptic on that claw mark of yours," she said. "Have two flying types, if you want to borrow one."

"Please?" I asked, giving her my best Growlithe-eyes.

Aurian chuckled quietly and released an Altaria and a Staraptor. "This is Ace," she motioned to the Staraptor, "and Chance." Altaria hummed politely. "Take your pick, I'm fine either way."

Altaria's friendly face felt rather reassuring, so I hopped on his back. Aurian slid onto Ace and hooked her knees around the bird's wings. I copied her motions with Chance, and the friendly Pokémon wrapped his wings around me in a comforting manner before we took off.

"What were you saying about being followed?" Aurian yelled over the whip of the wind.

"Galactic, Aqua, Magma, Rocket," I counted off on my fingers. "I can bond with every Pokémon I meet. Wasn't until last fall that I realized how unique that is."

Aurian shook her head. "Add Plasma to that list, subtract the Hoenn syndicates, and you've got me. I can free any captured Pokémon without contact with its Pokéball."

"Whoa. That's weird. Is it an aura side-effect, or just you?"

She shrugged. "Can't tell. I've never been around another user, so I'm pretty inexperienced. You?"

"I've met two," I replied, thinking of Riley and the Lucario from Rota. "Didn't get any advice- we were too busy trying to prevent the apocalypses."

Aurian let out a harsh laugh. "You too? Figured I'd had the worst luck ever with world-ending stuff."

The lights of the city came into view, and Chance landed softly in front of the Center.

"Thanks, you two," Aurian said, returning her teammates to their Pokeballs.

I turned towards the lights. "First, we heal our teams."

"And get you medical attention," she finished, pointing at my chest.

"Right."

We entered the Center, and the Nurse Joy rushed towards us.

"My Arceus, what happened to you, young man?"

I shrug and then wince. "Wild Pokémon attack, Nurse Joy. Can you help me, please?"

She nodded. "Yes, of course. Do you want your friend to come back with you?"

I shot a hesitant glance at Aurian, who shrugged.

"Yeah. She can come back."

Aurian and I followed the Nurse into a back room, which was stocked with various supplies meant for Pokémon healing. I sat down on the stretcher and Aurian plopped down in a chair in a corner, her back against the wall.

"We normally don't deal with human injuries, so Chancey and I need to gather some different supplies. We'll be right back."

I waited a little bit to speak after the nurse walked out of the room.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Aurian asked, eyes narrowing.

"Kind of? I spoke with Professor Oak before I left. He said we shouldn't use our real names until we get back to Pallet. Do you agree?"

Aurian nodded uncertainly. "Yeah. If a Professor says to do something, do it. They know what their stuff. What name were you going to use?"

"I'm not really sure. I was thinking of using something basic, completely generic... any suggestions?"

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Go for a color name. They're unusual, but forgettable."

I paused, but then an idea came to me. "Would Red Aronshu work?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I like the sound of that one. I'll try Blue Katrian on for size- does it seem okay?"

"Intimidating," I said with a laugh.

The nurse and a Chancey returned with bandages, antiseptic, and lots of gauze pads.

"What's your name, young man? We have some forms for you to fill out," Joy said as she started separating the supplies.

I shot a worried glance at Aurian, who motioned for me to go on with that plan.

"About that..." I said, biting my lip. I take off my ripped jacket and shirt, revealing the bloody remains of my bandage. T

he nurse's hands flew to her heart. "You were on Lily of the Valley Island, weren't you?"

I nodded. "Yes, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone I was here. I've got people looking for me, Nurse Joy, and I don't think they'd like to leave me in one piece whenever they finish."

"You have my word," she responded. "I can't disclose any kind of treatment I could give to you or anything about you because of the Oath we take whenever we enter medical school. You came to the right place."

I winced as she dabbed at the claw marks with hydrogen peroxide.

"Damn, that hurts."

"It'll get better soon," Aurian said from the back of the room.

Nurse Joy turned towards Aurian as she picked up a huge bandage. "How did you drag yourself into this, young lady?"

Aurian shrugged. "Saw that this kid was in trouble and at an unfair disadvantage in a battle, so I decided to jump in. It was impulsive, but I found an instant friend."

"You fought in a brawl to save a complete stranger?" Joy asked, wrapping medical tape over my bandage.

Aurian shrugged, her midnight eyes jaded. "I wish someone would've done that for me when I was in Unova. Figured I'd regret not saving this kid, so why not?"

Nurse Joy finished wrapping my torso, and passed over a plain grey t-shirt and a black hoodie. "You'll need this to get past customs at the region borders. Get out of here, and quick. I saw the other nurses discussing what happened on the island when Chancey and I went to get supplies. That bandage should hold until you reach wherever you're going."

"Thank you for everything," I said, jumping off the table. "I'll page the Center after we get where we're going so you know we're safe."

She smiled. "I'd appreciate that, Ash. The last rounds of flights out of the regions for the night leave in a half-hour. You can make it to the airport if you run. Take a right out of the main entrance- the airport's about a half-mile down the road."

"Come on, let's go!" Aurian said as she dragged me out the door.

* * *

We made it to the airport with only a few minutes to spare. There were two cheap seats on a cargo plane headed for Viridian City, so Aurian and I jumped at the chance to buy those.

Two minutes after we arrived at the gate, the pilot came to introduce himself.

"Lieutenant Surge?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Aren't you supposed to be in Vermillion?"

He gave me a particularly impressive Arbok-eye. "Aren't you supposed to be in League custody?"

"Touché. Lieutenant Surge, this is Aurian. Aurian, meet..."

"We've met before," she said, crossing her arms. "Do you remember me, Lieutenant? I'm the girl with the Empoleon and the Serperior..."

His eyes widened. "It's nice to see you again, Copland. We need to leave now if we're gonna outfly this storm coming in over East Sinnoh. It'll be a rough three-hour ride- you up for it?"

I nodded. "Anything to get out of here."

"Right. All aboard the Spark. She's tiny, but she's mine. Buckle up and hold on."

Aurian followed me up the ramp, and we strapped in to two seats behind the cockpit.

"Ready?" Surge asked from up front.

"All good!" I yelled. "Let's go home!"

The small cargo plane rattled down the runway and leapt up into the air.

"So... Aurian Borealis, right? Why'd Surge call you Copland?" I asked.

She sighed, and pain entered her eyes. "It's a long story."

I motioned around the cabin. "We've got time."

"All right, here goes... three weeks ago, my mother left my father for a rich businessman in Almia. There was a nasty custody case fought over my brother, and I learned I was adopted in the midst of it. I did some digging, found my original birth certificate, and my last name was Borealis on it."

I grimaced. "Ouch. Wouldn't they have told you before something major like that happened?"

"Dad... oops, Atticus, said that he was planning on telling me when I turned fifteen. He's nine months off," she added on in a mutter.

"When's your birthday?" I asked, suddenly curious.

She bit the inside of her lip. "April sixteenth, why?"

"Oh. Mine's the fourth. Weird, right? We're both wielders, we have birthdays kinda close to each other..."

Aurian nodded. "Yeah, it's unusual. But remember, we're Red and Blue now. Ash Ketchum and Aurian Borealis dropped off the grid about three hours ago."

"Gotcha. We should try to get some sleep. See you in Kanto?" I asked.

She winked and nodded. "Don't let the Caterpie bite."

Aurian was asleep within minutes. What did I know about this girl? She showed up out of nowhere, reeling from recent emotional trauma, and with a kick-butt team to boot. This whole situation seemed fishy, but I wasn't complaining about an ally falling into my life.

Her head fell to my shoulder as we hit a spot of turbulence and I couldn't help a smile. I knew nothing about Aurian other than the fact that she was an enigma, but my gut told me that I could trust her as sleep finally took over. Things looked like they were turning out to be us against the world.

Were we ready? Hell no. But we could put up a fight to remember.

* * *

_**(A/N): Hey, everyone, and welcome to the first chapter of As it All Fell to Pieces! Special thanks to thechinskyguy for betaing and general idea-bouncing, and ConstructiveWriter for encouragement after my original prologue kinda crashed and burned. **_

_**This is the prologue to my main multi-chapter, called "Primary". You can technically read this one on its own, but things will make a lot more sense if you've read up to the last chapter I've uploaded in that one. **_

_**Since Ash narrated this chapter, Aurian's up to speak in the next one!**_

_**I'd like to start a new thing in my postscripts- for those of you who know me from my other fics, you know that I love music... a lot. I've decided to add on a song in the postscript that inspired the mood of the chapter.**_

_**This chapter's theme song is "Icarus" by Bastille! If you haven't checked them out, you really should. All of their songs are great!**_

_**Thanks for reading, and please drop a review! I'd really appreciate it! **_

_**PL, signing off! **_


	2. Complications

Viridian City

June 16th

Aurian Borealis/Copland

* * *

I woke up to Surge cursing like a sailor as the plane landed. Ash's head rested on mine and I carefully extracted myself so that I didn't wake him. Luckily for me, he kept snoring- mission accomplished.

"Everything all right up there?" I asked, picking my way towards the front of the plane.

Surge opened the cockpit door. "Damn last minute turbulence. We're fine now."

"How close are we to Pallet Town?" I asked, re-adjusting my sagging ponyta-tail.

Surge shrugged. "Airport's on the south side of town. Give yourselves an hour of walking down Route 1 and you'll be there."

I nodded. "Thanks, Lieutenant. We really appreciate you helping us out."

"No problem, kid. The sooner you get out of here, the better."

"Hey, Ash? We're here. Time for you to go home."

I walked back to the seats and nudged Ash and Pikachu awake.

He squinted at me. "Huh?"

Pikachu proceeded to electrocute his trainer without a second thought.

"Holy hell, are you okay?" I asked, panicked.

Ash shrugged. "Pika does that a lot. I'm used to it."

Surge laughed from up front. "Some things never change- do they, Ketchum?"

"Guess so. Thanks for everything! We'll be heading out now."

"Make sure you clear the cabin and gather all personal belongings," Surge joked in a passable attempt of a flight attendant.

"We're good. See you," I said with a mock salute as the door opened. Surge returned the action as we walked into the gate.

Ash pulled his hood up as we entered the main part of the airport. "Think anyone knows who we are?"

"Nah. You don't look anything like yourself, and no one here knows me. I came to Kanto by boat last time."

"That's how I normally travel- nothing against planes, but I've always liked boats better," my new friend replied, his auburn eyes glinting out from underneath his hoodie.

I looked around the terminal, and saw that no one gave us a second glance. "How do we get out of here?"

"We should probably follow the sign that says 'exit this way'..."

"Right," I said. "Knew that."

Ash laughed while we walked towards the door that led to Route 1. Ash screeched to a halt halfway to the exit, making me slam into him.

"What was that for?" I hissed while detaching myself from his back.

Ash discreetly pointed across the area. "Look, that's Gary Oak. He's holding a calling card- should we see what it says?"

I nodded. "I'll go."

"No way, we're sticking together," he said as we walked towards him.

Ash's hunch turned out to be correct- Gary's card read 'Ketchum', printed out in scratchy, illegible handwriting.

We approached the researcher, who had spiky brown hair and tannish eyes.

"It's been three hours," Gary scoffed, starting to pace. "Shouldn't they be here by now?"

Ash put a hand on Gary's shoulder. "Looking for us?"

Gary jumped two feet into the air. "Dammit! Ashy-boy, was that really necessary?"

Ash laughed. "Good to see you too, Gary. We have another passenger- any extra room in that convertible of yours?"

Gary paused as he looked me over. "Yeah, we've got room. Gramps is waiting on us outside. Any baggage you need to pick up?"

I shook my head. "This is all we have."

Pikachu shot a fiery glare at Gary, then retreated into Ash's shoulder.

"Little guy seems upset," Gary noted. "What happened to you guys? You normally don't return from a region so quickly, Ash."

Ash closed his eyes, then took a long breath. "It's a long story, and I don't want to tell it twice. Let's wait until the Professor can hear, too."

Gary leaned a little closer to me as we started walking towards the pick-up area. "Has he told you anything, sweet thang?"

I rolled my eyes."Not interested, Oak. But no, he hasn't, and I'm not pressing him for details until he tells them on his own."

The researcher seemed reluctant to drop the subject, but he relented as we reached the pick-up area. Gary pulled out a Pokégear and dialed a three-digit number.

"Hey Gramps, they're here. Yeah, he brought a friend. Her name is..."

"Aurian," I said. "Aurian Borealis."

"Okay... yeah, yeah, they have everything... you're pulling up now? I can see the jeep. See ya."

Gary hung up just as a maroon jeep pulled up beside us. A man in his mid-fifties stepped out, wearing a navy polo, khaki slacks, and an old leather jacket.

"Ash, it's great to see you in one piece. And Aurian- nice to meet you. We'll have more time to get acquainted on the ride back and in the lab. Gary, take the passenger seat. You two can take the back."

The three of us buckled in as the professor sped off towards Pallet. Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder and curled up in his lap. He was sound asleep minutes later, his tiny snores filling the cabin.

"Ash," the professor began, "what happened back at Lily of the Valley?"

My new friend gulped. "Well... it's a long story, and it won't be all that enjoyable..."

I took his hand. "Hey, we're here for you."

Ash nodded. "It was right after my final battle of the tournament. Tobias asked me to take a walk with him after he received his top two honors, and I thought 'hey, maybe he has advice for me or something!'- so I went. He wanted to know how a measly fourteen-year-old could take down two of his team when no one else could even touch his Darkrai. I told him that I wasn't quite sure how it happened, but I was grateful for the shot at battling him.

"Tobias smirked and tossed out the Darkrai. He said that Darkrai had something to give me, and the pokemon passed over a small magnet. Tobias explained that Darkrai had found this on the ground after the tournament ended, and thought that I should pass it on to Pikachu."

I frowned. "Awfully nice of him."

Ash nodded. "That's what I thought. He seemed so off-putting during our battle and was all chummy afterwards- I was already on my guard. Then things got weird."

"Define weird," Gary said. "Things are always weird when you're around."

"As in sudden rampage- not the predictable Tauros kind, but the 'oh-my-God-what-the-hell-is-going-on' kind of rampage. I didn't have any choice but to try to fight, and my team was still exhausted from my earlier battle. Something's not right about that Darkrai, Professor. He mowed through three of my team with a single Shadow Ball."

The Professor frowned. "But your team was exhausted, right?"

"Yeah, but they weren't inherently weak to Ghost. Torkoal, Swellow, and Gible all went down from that one attack, when it took multiple Dark Voids and Dark Pulses to take them down earlier. Here's the weirdest part, though- Tobias wasn't doing anything to stop Darkrai. It almost seemed like he was encouraging it to attack us. All I know from there on out is that Darkrai tried to kill Sceptile with an Ice Claw and I took it instead..."

"Hold on! You took an Ice Claw to save one of your teammates?" Gary yelped, startling the rest of us. "When was this?"

Ash shrugged and then winced. "Little under seven hours. Anyways, I think I recalled everyone, Pikachu nailed both of them with a super-charged Volt Tackle thanks to that Magnet, and we started running."

I stared. Holy hell- he went through all of that to save one of his Pokémon, knowing that he could've died in the process? I glanced around at the other two occupants of the vehicle and noticed that they seemed less caught off guard by this revelation than I was.

Professor Oak pulled off the road. "Ash, where did that attack hit you?"

"My chest- why are you asking?"

Oak paused. "Why haven't you bled to death?"

Ash and I locked eyes.

"I haven't told him yet," he muttered, gingerly crossing his arms.

I groaned. "Seriously? Why did I ever drag myself into this?"

"What in the name of Arceus are you two yapping on about?" Oak asks, eyes narrowed.

Ash and I raised our right hands in tandem and released sparks of aura from our fingertips.

"That's the thing, Professor- Aurian and I aren't exactly normal," Ash said with another shrug-wince pairing.

"No way," Gary breathed. "You two are Aura Guardians?"

I shrugged. "Guardians? No. Aura users? Yes. We both patched Ash up soon after the attack- it's half-healed. Do you know anything about what we can do?"

Professor Oak shook his head. "Not nearly enough as I should, to be honest with you. The Guardian lines were supposed to have gone extinct at least three hundred years ago after the last descendent of Sir Aaron died in Sinnoh. There's only one user left in the world and he's in isolation over at Iron Island, training with a Lucario."

"Oh, I've met him!" Ash said with a grin. "Riley's a pretty cool guy. Kind of a shame that we didn't get to talk more, but we had to fight off Team Galactic and then keep the ruins from collapsing..."

I shook my head. "Story for another time, Ketchum."

"Right," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Anyways, I accidentally walked into a Galactic ambush after escaping the island, and I would've been done for if Aurian hadn't shown up just in time."

Gary sighed. "Guess you found out that Mars broke out of prison."

"Yep," I answered, crossing my legs. "She didn't seem too happy when we knocked her out."

The Professor pulled back onto the road and took an exit towards Pallet. "What happened next?"

Ash took up the story. "We went to the Sunyshore Center, a Nurse Joy patched us up, and we flew to Kanto on Lieutenant Surge's cargo plane. Now we're here."

"Goodness," Professor Oak said. "You've had quite a night."

"Yes sir," I replied. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, what're we gonna do now?"

Oak sighed. "The first thing that the media will do is try to find Ash. I wouldn't be surprised if they threw in a charge for reckless endangerment of Pokémon, as well. You need to lay low here for a few days. I'll call a few people and see what I can work out."

"Thank you, Professor," Ash said. "That really means a lot."

"That's what I'm here for. It's my job to make sure that every trainer I send out with a starter is healthy and safe. I'll start emailing and calling my contacts as soon as we get home, which should be in about two minutes," Oak replied, signaling right as he stopped at a light.

"Define contacts," I asked. "Now you've got me interested."

"Agatha, Lorelei, Lance, Surge, Koga," Gary droned on. "Right, gramps?"

Oak nodded. "Close. Ash- we're here. I suggest that we stay here at the lab for a bit, then you two can head back to Ms. Ketchum's house for the night."

"Sounds like a plan," Ash replied, gently prodding Pikachu awake.

The four of us exited the jeep and entered the lab. Oak led us through a few hallways while Gary stalked upstairs to get some sleep.

"Ash, Aurian, may I speak with you for a second?" the Professor said, standing in the doorway to the next room.

I nodded. "Sure, what's up?"

Professor Oak led the two of us to a sitting room. Ash sat down on the couch in a way that implied that this was his second home. I sat next to Ash, and we waited as Professor Oak started to speak.

"Ash, could you show me that claw mark?" Oak asked, frowning.

He took a deep breath and removed his shirt. The bandage that the Joy back in Sunyshore applied looked all right- slightly crimson in some places, but it did its job.

Oak washed his hands. "You said it's been a little under seven hours since all of this happened, right?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah. How's it looking?"

"Honestly? This thing looks like it's been healing on its own for a couple of weeks. Both of you tried to heal it?"

"Yes sir," I replied.

Oak smiled. "You did a good job. I have a salve that should stop the scarring from going overboard- would you like me to order a prescription for you?"

"That'd be great, Professor. Also- any pain meds in this place? Chest feels like it's on fire."

"Second cabinet in the blue bottle," Oak answered. "Take three. If that doesn't help, then we'll try something different. I'll call in the topical. It's technically for injured Pokémon, but we can make an exception."

Ash wandered over to the aforementioned cabinet and swallowed three of the pills.

"How long until they start working?"

Oak shrugged. "Thirty to forty-five minutes. Not too long. Was this the first time you've tried to heal yourself with aura?"

Ash nodded while I shook my head.

"You've done this before?" Oak asked.

"Yeah. Got into a scuffle in Unova and my Mienshao showed me how to do it. I knew of my capabilities long before that. Took a trip to the Lucario Kingdom off the coast of Canalave during my first trip through Sinnoh and they all freaked out when I showed up. All I wanted to to when I was there was meet a few Lucario, possibly see if I could battle them- not even to catch," I offered with a shrug.

Ash grinned. "That's really cool! Met a Riolu who's in line for the throne there once. He was cool. Wish I could've gotten to know him better, but then Hunter J came into the picture and everything backfired..."

Oak sighed. "Back to our main topic. I've been thinking- traditionally, Guardianship was supposed to pass from fathers to firstborn sons- looks like that theory has been debunked, seeing that Miss Copland can use aura. Ash, I know that you're not sure who your father was- Aurian, do you have any mystery family tree members?"

"Don't get me started," I muttered. "Professor, I found out that I was adopted during a custody case fought over my little brother, so anyone in the Five Regions could be related to me."

Professor Oak nodded. "Okay, that's a start. Would you be all right with running a few DNA tests? I can submit you both under an anonymous identity in order to to keep the media from swarming you two."

I shrugged. "How safe is it?"

"Extremely," the professor replied. "You'll be submitted under Anonymous X and Anonymous Y."

I like the Gen VI nod.

"I'm all right with it," Ash said. "If it gets me even one step closer to figuring out who my dad is, then I'm all in."

"I'll do it too- why not? I'm curious now," I said. "One thing, though- how do you get the DNA, Professor?"

Professor Oak opened a drawer and passed over two Q-Tips. "Cheek swabs. I'll have the results back in three weeks."

"Okay," I muttered as I tickled the inside of my cheek with the swab. "Relatively painless."

The Professor nodded as Ash did the same. We passed over the swabs and Oak put each in its own specialized packaging.

"Ash," the professor asked, "could you go get a glass of water for us all?"

Ash nodded slowly, then quicker as he realized Oak's intentions. "Sure. I'll be back."

"Aurian, could you stay here for a bit?" Oak asked as I moved to go with him. "I have a few questions for you."

"Fire away," I said, trying to relax on the couch. "Don't have anywhere else to go."

Oak inputted a few commands on a computer, then turned towards me. "You mentioned that there was a custody case fought over your brother- how did that turn out?"

I frowned. "That made inter-regional news? Doesn't seem all that big..."

"No. I heard about it from Professor Rowan, who told me about a bit of the case after it finished up. He called you Aurian Copland, though- any particular reason why you're going by Borealis now?"

"Da-Atticus told me that he knew my birth parents and that Borealis was their last name. I tried doing a bit of research after the trial, but didn't have any luck. It didn't help that I researched from Pokécenter computers, though. I haven't been home since the day the trial finished up, so no access to any specific databases."

Oak sighed again. "That explains a lot, actually. Rowan really admires how you handled all of this- he contacted me about the trial outcome shortly before Ash called to notify me of the trouble he threw himself into. Rowan said that Atticus is worried about you. Could you at least call your father while you're here?"

I hesitated. "Do I have to?"

"I know you're still mad at him for the whole adoption debacle, but he deserves to know where you are. If you do it now, you'll get it over with," Oak replied.

"All right, I'll do it. Could I borrow a videophone?"

Oak nodded. "Over there in the corner."

Ash poked his head in the door, Pikachu on top of his shoulder.

"What's goin' on?"

"Calling Atticus," I said. "Apparently he's worried about me."

Ash pulled another chair up next to mine. "Of course he would be! He's still your dad even though you're not related. He cares about you."

"Yeah yeah, save me all the 'family' crap. Let's get this over with."

I punched twelve numbers into the device and hesitated before pushing the 'call' button. The dial tone rang twice before a familiar little face with slightly shaggy brown hair and hazel eyes picked up.

"Hey, Matt!" I said.

He grinned. "Hi, Ri! Where are you?"

"Kanto, but that's not important. How are you?"

Matt shrugged. "I'm okay. Dad's worried about you. Want me to go find him?"

I smrked. "I have a better idea- how 'bout we call for him together?"

Matt beamed as we both yelled at the top of our lungs.

"Dad! Skitty broke the other lamp!"

Atticus came flying down the stairs. "Again? That's the fourth time in two months..." he trailed off. "Aurian?"

I gave an awkward wave. "Hey."

"Where are you?"

"Kanto- Professor Oak's Lab. Please don't worry about me- I'm safe, I've got my entire team with me, and I'm traveling with a friend."

"We met five hours ago!" Ash protested.

"Not important, Ash," I cut him off, "but I'm safe."

Atticus squinted at the screen. "Is that Ash Ketchum sitting beside you, Aurian?"

Ash gulped. "Yes sir...?"

"The League just released a warrant for his arrest- something about reckless endangerment of an exhausted team and failure to comply with authorities. Why are you running around Kanto with a fugitive?!"

Oak joined the conversation. "Mr. Copland- if I may- Ash is a trustworthy young man with outstanding character. I'm sure that this is all a big misunderstanding. I've been in contact with people who can help him."

Atticus paused. "As much as I don't want to, I'm going to trust the Professor- but be sensible, Aurian. Is it really wise for you to travel with someone you just met?"

I sighed. "Atticus- Ash is like me."

"Like you as in...?"

I released a few aura sparks, and Ash did the same.

"I can trust him, _dad_."

Atticus winced and nodded reluctantly. "I don't understand all of this aura thing, but is know that it's rare for two people like you to meet up by chance. I have to go now. Be careful, Aurian."

"Bye, Atticus. Bye, Matt! Call me soon, okay?"

Matt's head popped back into view. "When will you be home?"

"Not sure, little buddy. Gotta run. I love you, kid."

Matt stuck out his tongue as he hung up.

Ash sat in shock after the screen went blank.

"You okay?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. I wouldn't do anything like that! Coming home was a stupid idea."

"No, it wasn't," Oak interjected. "That was the best thing you could've done. I wasn't expecting the League to move that quickly and denounce you as a possible Pokémon abuser, so I have to make a few phone calls. Ash- go home. Aurian, you can either go with him or stay here- your choice."

I snuck a look at Ash, who looked utterly heartbroken. He needed a friend, dammit, and I knew I needed to be there for him.

"I'm going with Ash," I said. "Ready?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Professor- can I switch out my team before I go? I'd like to be prepared for an emergency."

Oak ran over to a transfer machine. "Who do you want?"

"I'll need Infernape, Donphan, Charizard, Sceptile, and Kingler."

"Heavy on power and speed," I noted. "Good choices."

Ash tried to smile as he handed Oak five of his Pokeballs. "Thanks. Who do you have on you?"

"Empoleon, Altaria, Staraptor, Mienshao, Growlithe, and Eevee."

"Damn. What's your League record?"

I shrugged. "At least top sixteen in all four that I've competed in. Top finish was third in Johto."

Oak whistled as he passed Ash four new Pokeballs. "Impressive. I sent Liza a message- Charizard should be here by morning. Now that we've prepared for the worst, you two need to go home and lay low. Ms. Ketchum is waiting on you two. Don't go anywhere except here, okay?"

"Okay. Pikachu- ready to go home?"

Pikachu nodded and stretched with a tiny yawn.

"Let's go," I said. "Ash, you lead the way."

I followed him out of a back door and down a gravel street.

"We're just down the road. I'm really sorry for dragging you into this," Ash sighed.

I shook my head. "You didn't drag me in- I jumped in all on my own. I chose to come with you."

"Why did you join me?" he asked. "There's no way that you could've gained from anything that's happened within the last eight hours."

I shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure. Just felt like it was the right thing to do. Plus, now that I've gotten to know you a little bit better, it seems like you could use a friend to lean on right now."

"Same for you," Ash answered. "How have you not exploded from all the emotion that you've been internalizing?"

"Practice," I said. "Had to put a strong face on for Matt and never let myself take off that mask once the trial ended. I'm terrified of facing what actually happened."

"Because something's changed?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. I'm a perfectionist; see- I'm not happy unless every minute detail in my life is right. You can see what this is doing to me on the inside."

Ash put a hand on my shoulder. "No one's perfect, Aurian. It's okay to aim high, but asking for perfection only leads to failure."

I forced a smile. "I suppose. Still trying to figure all of this out, you know? My family's in shambles, you're a fugitive, we may or may not have to flee Kanto at a moment's notice..."

Ash laughed. "We're a mess, aren't we?"

I chuckled. "Yep."

We turn onto a short street.

"Well, this is it. Mom lives in the house at the end."

I turn towards him. "We're in this together, Ash. We're the only people we can trust."

"'We're' including the Professor, my mom, and whoever the Professor chooses to bring into this?"

I nodded. "Right. It's just a misunderstanding. This whole thing will blow over soon."

"What if it doesn't?" he asked.

I could see a scared little boy in his eyes. Ash was frightened- probably the most he'd ever been- and didn't see any options to fix this quickly.

"Then we move on," I said. "No other options."

Ash nodded as he opened the door and led me inside.

A woman in her mid-thirties stood in the foyer, clad in a pale yellow bathrobe, blue plaid pajama pants, and a pink shirt.

"Ash!" she cried, enveloping him in a hug. "Professor Oak called and told me a little about what happened... I'm glad you're okay."

Ash shrugged. "Aurian helped patch me up before we flew here."

I peeked around Ash's shoulder. "Hi, Ms. Ketchum! I wish we could've been introduced under better circumstances."

Ms. Ketchum smiled. "It's no problem, dearie- please, call me Delia. Do you want to come in? Any friend of Ash's is a friend of mine, especially one that helped him out in this crazy situation."

I nod. "Yes ma'am, but on one condition. Only Atticus calls me Aurian- can you call me by Auri or Ri instead?"

Delia looked puzzled, but nodded. "Okay then, Auri it is."

I followed Ash inside to a cozy little living room. Delia sat in the singular armchair, while Ash collapsed on the couch.

"When did you leave Sinnoh, Ash? You're normally not this eager to come home," Delia asked, her eyes worried.

Ash and I instinctively locked eyes for the second time that night.

"Well..." he said, lifting his shirt to reveal the massive bandage, "this happened."

Delia's hands flew to her mouth as Ash revealed the full extent of Darkrai's rage.

"What happened?"

"Darkrai attack," Ash muttered. "But there's a blessing in this."

"And what is that?" Delia demanded. "What else can come of this mystery event other than a maltreatment charge- which I know you'd never do!"

Ash nodded, and we both released fragments of our auras for the third time that night.

Delia paled. "Aurian- you're like Ash?"

I shrugged. "I think so? My abilities are a little different, but yes."

"Dear God," Delia murmured. "Samuel was right. This is serious."

"No duh," Ash said. "Professor Oak is calling people right now. He's working on a plan to get the two of us out of this."

Delia stood and started to pace. "Ash- I think it's time that I told you a little more about your father."

Ash immediately sat up. "Really?"

Delia nodded. "Yes. He was an aura user, too. It's a shame that I can't ask him for help- he'd know exactly what to do."

"Why can't you?," I asked.

Delia bit her lip. "Ash- I can't. I haven't heard from him in eleven years."

Ash's expression fell.

"I told you he was off on his own journey when you were little to keep you from wondering where he was- I don't know where your father is."

Ash stood and shook his head. "He's missing? Why didn't you tell me before now?"

"I didn't want to hurt you! You looked up to him so much when you were little- I couldn't stand to see that admiration fall to pieces."

"Did you think I wasn't capable of understanding?" Ash asked, his eyes sparking.

Delia looked as if she was on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry, Ash."

I leapt up between the mother and son, seeing that things were about to get messy.

"Hey, hey, let's calm it down. Ash- you're completely justified in feeling like this, but yelling will only endanger us further. Delia- I know we've just met, but telling Ash a little earlier than now would've been great. That doesn't matter now, okay? In the words of a friend of mine, we have to move on. I vote that we talk more about this in the morning. It's late, we're crashing from running off of adrenaline for the past eight hours, and I think that the painkillers that the Professor gave Ash are finally kicking in."

Delia sighed. "You're right. Ash, we'll talk more about this tomorrow. Auri, there's a spare room right next to Ash's. Feel free to stay there."

"Thank you," I said. "Ash, let's go. G'night, Delia."

The two of us trudged up the stairs. Before we split off into our separate rooms, Ash paused.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"Keep us from arguing. Normally a fight like that would have us avoiding each other for weeks."

"Not sure. It's another thing that I've always been able to do," I said. "Look, I completely understand how you're feeling right now. You've been lied to for your entire life by someone you've trusted for the same amount of time. You'll need a few days for things to go back to normal. Delia seems rational. She's trying to honor your dad's wishes, okay? Don't blame her for trying to keep a promise to the man she loved."

Ash furrowed his brows. "Damn, you're too good at this. Ever considered being a lawyer?"

"The past two weeks have completely turned me away from the law," I said. "That's a story for another time. You all right now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know?"

"Come knock on my door if you need to talk, okay? It's late, and we both need to recover from what just happened with sleep that's not constantly interrupted by turbulence and a cussing pilot. See you in the morning?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

A small mirror sat on top of a dresser, and I took a peek in it after I showered and changed into my Swablu-print pajama pants and shirt.

"Dammit," I muttered. I had the worst case of dark circles around my eyes that I'd ever seen, my hair- even when wet- was more uncooperative than normal, and bruises had started to form on my hands and legs from the brawl outside Sunyshore.

What did I know about Ash Ketchum? He seemed like a good guy thrown into an awful situation, but I couldn't be certain of anything. His ability to trust had been shattered, leaving him an emotional wreck- just like me, I guess.

I chuckled quietly as I realized that our distinct distrust of others led us to trust each other with everything we had. Ash took a risk in telling me what happened. I took a risk in coming with him. But things worked out, I supposed- Delia accepted me into her home faster than my old 'mother' ever did, and I'd found a damn-good ally in the ever mysterious Ash Ketchum despite how the world was falling to pieces around us.

* * *

**(A/N): Hey everyone, and thanks for joining me for chapter two of As it All Fell to Pieces! I'm really sorry for the delay- academics took over my life for a few weeks. Special thanks to thechinskyguy for being the fantastic beta reader he always is. **

**Ash is up to narrate for the next chapter. Things are about to get sticky...**

**The theme song for this chapter is Atlas by Coldplay! Thought it fit what was going on really well. **

**Thanks so much for reading, and please drop a review, favorite, or follow! It'd really mean the world to me. Speaking of reviews, here're the responses to the review(s) for Chapter 1:**

**Guest: I hope this chapter cleared up at least a few of your questions. You're not asking too much, don't worry. I have huge plans for both AIAFTP and Primary, both of which will take a lot of time to execute well. Hang in there- more answers will come soon.**

**PL, signing off!**


	3. Chances

Pallet Town

June 16th

Ash Ketchum

* * *

I jolted awake to the familiar pain of Pikachu's thunderbolt. My starter laughed hysterically as I fell to the ground and tried to pull myself out of a tangle of covers.

"Was that really necessary?"

Pikachu rolled his eyes and nudged my good shoulder.

"That was a yes, right?" Aurian asked, poking her head inside of my room.

"Morning to you too," I said, standing up.

She leaned against the doorframe. "You feeling any better?"

"Kind of?" I replied, pulling on a pair of dark jeans.

"Oak passed the topical off to your mom earlier this morning. Here you go," she said, tossing over a small tube.

"Awesome. I'll be right back."

I ducked into the bathroom and carefully removed the bandage. The gashes in my chest looked no different from last night- half-healed and just starting to scab over. I unscrewed the cap on the bottle and gingerly placed the medicine on the wounds. Dammit, it stung. I winced and tried not to yell.

"Everything okay in there?" Aurian asked.

"Yes, everything's all right except for my burning chest, thanks!" I said.

"Try aura?" she suggested. "Might help."

Sparks of blue flew off of my fingertips and absorbed into the gashes. I sighed in relief as the pain slowly ebbed away. I grinned through the pain when I noticed Mom had placed all the rebandaging supplies I needed in the bathroom last night. I slicked a bit of antibiotic on the bandage and tried to copy the way that the Professor wrapped it last night.

I walked back out the door as I slid a blue t-shirt over my head. "I think I got it?"

Aurian nodded her approval. "Not bad. Wait a second..." she turned towards the shelf where I kept all my old trophies and hats.

"No way!" she exclaimed. "You're the one who won the League hat?"

I laughed. "Yep! That thing was my pride and joy for the first two years of my journey. Got worn out, though, so I had to replace it with my Hoenn hat."

Aurian tried it on. "How do I look?"

"Looks good to me," I said with a shrug. Aurian twirled the hat around on her head in an imitation of the way that I used to whenever my battles got tough. Her hair ended up half in her face, half tangled in the brim.

"Crap. This wasn't a good idea," she muttered from under a tangled mess of hair.

"That's what you get for trying to be as cool as me," I said, setting the hat back down on its shelf.

Aurian rolled her eyes while she tucked her hair into a braid. "Right. What makes you "cool", Ketchum?"

"As of right now? Nothing."

She frowned. "Think the Professor has any news?"

I shrugged. "He'd be over here by now if he did. I would like to go check on him, though."

"Let's go, then!" Aurian said, dragging me down the stairs by the wrist. Pikachu jumped on my shoulder before we dashed down the staircase.

"Bye, Mom, we're going to the Lab!" I yelled as I was dragged out of the back door.

"Hold on a second!" Mom said. Aurian screeched to a halt as Mom exited the living room.

"I want you two to be extra careful today, okay? I know you're safe here, but please don't take any chances. That means no battling, no talking to anyone not 'in' on what's going on. Are we clear?"

I sighed. "Really, Mom?"

Mom shot me a glare that would've put a Mean Look to shame.

"Yes. This is for your own safety, you know."

Aurian nodded. "She's right, Ash. Can't have any League officials swooping down and snatching us up."

"Fine," I moaned. "We'll be careful, promised."

"Wait!" Aurian cried as I pulled her out the door. "You didn't seem all that excited a minute ago!"

I set off at a dead sprint. "The faster we get there, the faster we get help."

"And get away from people who want to arrest us!" she answered, spitting hair out of her mouth.

"Pikaka, pikapi!" Pikachu protested.

"Hey, we're almost there! You should've mentioned that you were hungry when we were still home."

Aurian wrenched her wrist free as we arrived at the Lab. I knocked on the door, and an exhausted-looking Professor answered the door.

"Morning!" I said. "Any news?"

Professor Oak nodded. "I've been on the phone since you two left last night. Good news is that I have a proposal for you from one of my contacts."

Aurian smiled. "Great! Let's hear it."

"He's on the videophone now. Come on in, you two."

Aurian followed me into the building and into the same room that we called Atticus from last night. The screen flashed with a "call waiting" message. Professor Oak inputted a long string of numbers and the screen resolved into a familiar face.

"Lance!" I exclaimed.

"Wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic greeting," Lance chuckled.

"Hello, Ash. And you must be Aurian?"

Aurian waved. "That's me, sir. We heard you had a proposal for us?"

Lance nodded. "Yes. I've done some digging into the warrant that the League put out, and it's completely unfounded. They need three material witnesses, and the only person that's come forward is Tobias. Aurian- they haven't started looking for you yet."

"They will," Aurian said. "The Professor told you about how Ash and I met, right?"

"Yes. Quite courageous of you, little lady."

Aurian shrugged. "It was the right thing to do, and I know now that Ash would've done the same for me in a heartbeat. The League will find some tiny thing to call me out on- probably for the allowance of vigilante justice and failure to comply to League rules concerning Rocket-like organizations."

"That's a likely outcome, Aurian. Anyways- here's my proposal. I run a small covert operations oriented force independent of the League called the Pokémon G-Men. I've spoken with my Council, and we've decided to shelter the two of you from the League and help you drop off the radar."

I frowned. "I remember you guys from Johto at the Lake of Rage. This offer seems too good to be true."

"There's a catch," Lance said. "Ash, you'd have to apply for membership to continue to receive our protection. Our help would only last until this mess clears up, and that could be relatively quickly, knowing the League. Aurian- your situation is a little trickier, since you're... well..."

"Female?" she said with an enraged spark in her eye. "I can do anything that male trainers my age can do- and I can do it better on occasion. If you extend a membership offer to Ash, you do to me, as well- we're a package deal. Double or nothing."

I took Aurian's hand as she finished her statement.

"Ash, do you agree with this?"

I nodded. "Absolutely. She saved my hide last night, Lance- better than Gary or Paul ever would've. Double or nothing."

Lance paused in consideration. "You've got a lot of nerve, asking that. I'm curious, now. All right, I'll revise my offer- membership to both of you if you prove yourselves as more than competent while under our protection. Do we have a deal?"

I turned towards Professor Oak. "Is it fair?"

The Professor nodded. "Yes. Agatha and Lorelei turned us down. Lance is the only one that's responded positively so far, and the G-Men are well known for helping out in cases like this. Take it- it's the best option you have at the moment."

I looked at Aurian. "Well?"

She bit her lip. "I'd be the only girl there, wouldn't I?"

Lance nodded. "We're called the G-_Men_ for a reason. There're four hundred-fifty of us throughout the Five Regions, divided into five combat squads- Dragonite, Salamence, Garchomp, Haxorus, and the smallest squad- the Armada. All of the combat members are male, and have been since the institution was founded. You'd be a welcome first, Aurian. I can't guarantee that you won't face discrimination, but I'm asking you to prove me wrong."

My new friend nodded. "I love a challenge- all right, I'm in. Ash, are you?"

I nodded without hesitation. "Count me in, Lance."

Lance grinned. "Excellent! I'll come get you two and we'll teleport back to Headquarters. I'll give you twelve hours to say your goodbyes."

"Actually," I started, "we don't have all that many people to say goodbye to- just the Professor, Gary, and my mom. How soon can you get here?"

Lance looked surprised. "Give me an hour. I have a few business matters to take care of before I leave."

"Come get us when you finish," Aurian said. "The longer we're here, the longer we're a danger to everyone around us."

"An admirable response. Expect me in disguise at the Lab in an hour. See you then, you two."

The screen went black. My heart rate raced, my breathing increased. We had a shot at remaining free.

"That just happened," Aurian said.

I nodded slowly. "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?"

Professor Oak knelt in front of the two of us. "Safety. The G-Men have never failed in a case like this."

"How many of these incidents have there been?" Aurian asked.

"More than you'd expect. These kinds of cases normally don't make major media coverage, since they normally involve older trainers with a history against the League. Ash- you and that unfortunate warrant turned up on the news this morning. I'm with you- the sooner we get you out of here and under protection, the better. Go home and pack up. Meet me back here at ten, and please bring your mother with you."

I nodded. "Okay. We'll be back, Professor."

Aurian stood and left the room. I followed her lead, and noticed that some of the spirit faded from her eyes.

"You okay?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Why does everyone think female trainers are weaker than males?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. You know that I completely disagree with that statement."

"I know, you wouldn't have stood with me in front of Lance if you didn't agree. I've dealt with people like that all through my journey. What if I can't pull this off? Everything I have... had… depends on the impression I leave on Lance and the rest of the G-Men."

"Honestly? If you leave him with an impression like the first one you left on me, you'll be more than fine."

She smiled, though the action didn't reach her midnight eyes. "Thanks, Ash. That really means a lot."

"No, I'm serious. You're a hell of a battler. We're gonna fight our way through this, together," I said.

"To the end of the line," she replied. "You really are something, Ketchum."

"So are you, Borealis. Ready to break the news to my mom?"

Aurian shuddered. "No. She won't be too keen on losing you again."

"I know," I replied, "but she'll understand. It's just like going to another region."

"Only this one involves the possibility of joining a vigilante justice group."

"To each his own adventures," I said with a laugh. "Come on, we're almost back."

Aurian nodded. "Yeah. Let's get this over with."

Mom opened the door almost immediately after we set foot on the front lawn. "Any news?"

"Yeah, actually- you might want to sit down for this."

"O...kay," Mom said, sitting down in an armchair. "What did Samuel tell you?"

Aurian and I locked glances again.

"We received an offer from Lance," Aurian started. "He and the G-Men will protect us until we learn to live off the radar."

"Or," I interjected, "we prove ourselves worthy of a G-Men membership while we're there. That's what the two of us are hoping for."

Mom frowned. "Are there any other options?"

"No," I said. "Professor Oak's already been turned down by two of his contacts and Lance is the only one that's responded positively in the last twelve hours."

"Ash, do you know how dangerous this is? Joining the G-Men is equivalent to joining the army. You could be called into action at any time! Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

I nodded. "This is our only chance."

Mom sighed. "All right. I'm not happy about this, but you really don't have a choice, do you?" Mom said.

"We don't," Aurian said.

"It feels like I just got you back and you'll be gone again..." Mom sighed. "No matter. When do you leave?"

"We need to be at the Lab at ten. Professor Oak wants you to come with us," Aurian answered.

"Okay. Ash, are you good on clean underwear?"

"Mom!" I groaned. "Not in front of Aurian! But yes, I'm fine. I do need to find a spare set of clothes..."

Aurian laughed. "I'm fine on everything, Delia. Thank you so much for letting me stay here even though we've never met."

"It's no problem, Aurian. You're just what Ash needs right now- someone he can count on," Mom said.

I bit my lip. "What now? We don't need to be at the lab for another forty minutes."

Mom moved towards the kitchen. "You never did eat breakfast, you know. Who's ready for a feast unlike any other?"

I grinned. "I am! Bring on the biscuits!"

Pikachu jumped to his spot on the table in the kitchen and pounded his miniature knife and fork set against the table. "Pikapika!"

"I'm game," Aurian said, joining Pikachu at the table. "Thank you!"

Mom smiled. "I rarely get to see my little boy, so I have to spoil him when I can. Would any of you like some scrambled eggs?"

* * *

Time passed quickly, and Aurian and I, accompanied by mom, arrived at the Lab with five minutes to spare.

"Well... are you ready?" I asked.

Aurian shrugged. "I guess so. I'll call Atticus once we get there. That goodbye can wait a while."

"I'm really going to miss you, Ash," Mom said while wrapping me in a hug. "Be careful, okay?"

I nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"And Aurian- I know we haven't known each other for long, but please feel free to come back whenever you like. You may not be a Ketchum by name, but you saved Ash's life and I appreciate that more than you know. Our home is yours."

Aurian smiled as she side-hugged my mom. "Thank you, Delia. That really means a lot. I'll take you up on that offer the next time we get to come back."

Mom nodded as she motioned us in the door. "Let's hurry- we have a Champion to meet with!"

Aurian and I raced through the corridors until we found the room where we originally contacted Lance. We paused outside the closed doors.

"No turning back now," Aurian muttered.

"We can handle this," I said as I opened the door.

Lance, wearing a black leather jacket over some sort of uniform, stood up and approached us with Professor Oak close behind.

"Ash, Aurian. It's good to see you two."

I nodded as I shook his hand. "It's great to see you again, sir."

"Nice to meet you in person," Aurian said. "Where will we be teleporting to?"

Lance grinned. "Our main headquarters are about three-hundred feet below the lowest standard-access level of Kanto's Victory Road. This is an exception, though- normally we'd take possible recruits to either our base below the Flower Paradise in Sinnoh or the old Magma hideout in Hoenn's Jagged Pass, but The Council wants to meet with you and evaluate your abilities directly."

"Who's on the Council?" I asked. Pikachu tilted his head.

"You'll see. Are you ready to leave, you two?" Lance said.

"Not yet... thank you, Professor, for setting all this up," I said. Aurian caught my lead and echoed her thanks as well, and we both shook Professor Oak's hand.

"Delia, I want you to know that these two will be in good hands. I'll do everything I can to make sure that they stay safe and protected."

Mom nodded. "I appreciate that, Lance. You two..." she trailed off. "Be careful, and know that I'm here for you if you need anything. Ash, I love you lots. Aurian- keep an eye on my little Ashy for me."

Aurian giggled. "Sure thing, Ms. Ketchum. Ashy, you ready?"

"Shut up! Yes, I am."

"Excellent. I personally don't have any Pokémon that can Teleport, so I had to borrow one of my colleague's... go, Gallade!"

Lance released his borrowed Pokemon and I watched as the dual-type appeared in front of us.

"Whoa," Aurian breathed. I nodded in response the Gallade stared us down. The 'Mon looked extremely well cared for and trained.

"Gallade, please take us back to Headquarters," Lance said. "Goodbye, Professor. We'll be in contact soon."

"Indeed," Professor Oak replied. "Take care of those two."

I took a deep breath as the four of us vanished into thin air. The last thing I saw was Mom with tears in her eyes.

* * *

"We're here. Welcome to the G-Men Headquarters."

I opened my eyes to a dark hallway lined with stone, lit by a simple torch once every couple of yards.

Aurian squinted. "Doesn't look like much."

"This is the entrance corridor. I'll have to formally introduce you once we get to the doors. Start walking- we'll be there in a bit."

Aurian and I shrugged and followed the Champion down the hall.

"A little background information for you- the G-Men were founded a hundred and thirty-seven years ago by the first Kanto Champion, named Hiro Takao. He felt that while the fledgling police force would be great for civilian missions, his region needed a specialized task force to counter the constant raids from the Rebel League."

"Rebel League..." I said. "Who were they?"

"Ancestors of Team Rocket," Lance answered. "Served almost the same purpose, too. The Rebel League's goals were to dethrone Hiro and send the newly-united Kanto spiraling back into feudal chaos by deploying forces to hold towns and cities hostage. Hiro recruited the finest trainers he had met on his journey into a squad he called the Kanto Guardians, inspired by the Aura Guardians of old. They thwarted the actions of the Rebel League and ensured the survival of a united Kanto. We've tried to uphold their beliefs in honor, strength, and courage in all of our actions."

Aurian nodded. "Sounds pretty cool. One question, though- when did Rocket emerge from the Rebel League?"

"No one's really sure about that," Lance said, rubbing the back of his neck. "There's sufficient evidence now that Hiro and the original Guardians didn't completely eradicate the Rebel League's criminal presence in the region. Our best guess is that Rocket is an offshoot from Rebel operatives who escaped Hiro's grasp."

I scratched Pikachu behind the ears. "What do you technically specialize in?"

"We call it decisive action. If there's anything that pops up that the Jennies can't handle, we're the first on the scene. We also serve as unbiased juries for controversial court cases that surface within the modern League along with deploying members to sabotage any criminal actions within the five regions. As of right now, we have a team of five operatives from the Salamence Squad operating in Hoenn to put down a Magma resurgence and a duo of Pokémon Rangers working in Oblivia to prevent the rise of the Societea. If you're accepted in, you'll be doing something like that."

"No desk work?" I asked.

Lance laughed. "No, not for you two. Hold on a second, have to speak with the guard here..."

The Champion knocked a sequence on a large stalagmite. After he finished, a panel at the front slid down, revealing a man in a brown uniform.

"Hello, Commander. Wasn't expecting to see you back so soon."

"Thank you, Jim. I've brought two potential recruits to meet with the Council."

Jim eyed us warily. "The girl, too?"

Lance nodded. "Figured it's time to shake things up a bit."

"Good luck, little lady. And you too, son," Jim said, pressing a button. What appeared to be a dead-end in the tunnel opened to reveal a huge three-story atrium.

Aurian smiled at Jim. "Thanks- we'll need it."

"Thank you, Jim. Now, you two- welcome to the G-Men HQ," Lance said, motioning to the space behind the door.

My jaw dropped, and Aurian's eyes grew wide at the huge cavern that we entered. The three of us stood on a cliff that overlooked a huge eating space and hallways to what I assumed were bunkhouses and meeting rooms.

"Impressed?" Lance asked with a chuckle. "This is where it all began under Hiro."

Aurian looked around. "This cave isn't natural, is it?"

"Partially. Hiro used Ground and Rock types to expand the cave and carve the rooms. The G-Men commanders over the years added space wherever they saw fit."

I bit my lip. "Wait a minute... if this council is made up of the most critical members of the G-Men, why is their main room placed so close to the entrance?"

"They're not. That was Entrance B, used only by high-rank members or in case of an emergency. We have the main entrance, used mainly for initiation ceremonies. There's Entrances C and A... but that's a story for another time. Are you ready to meet the Council?"

Aurian shook her head. "Will we ever be?"

"Outcasts together?" I said.

She nodded. "Double or nothing, Ketchum."

Lance opened the door, revealing a group of seven people sitting at a Rapidash-shoe shaped table.

"Ash Ketchum and Aurian Borealis, I'd like you to meet the Council."

I suppressed a gulp and looked at the seven who would decide our fates.

"This is Riley, head of the Armada."

Riley waved, and a Lucario at his side did the same.

"Drake of Hoenn, head of Salamence Squad."

The dragon trainer nodded at the two of us in turn.

"Drayden, head of Haxorus Squad."

I squinted in concentration in an attempt to remember if I had ever met the intimidating white-haired man before.

"He's from Unova," Aurian whispered. "Gym Leader."

I nodded as Lance continued on.

"Next there's Wallace, leader of our technology division."

Wallace gave a polite smile.

"Flint, leader of Garchomp Squad."

Flint was the only one who stood and offered to shake our hands.

"Next there's Steven, head of our research division."

A pale man with silver hair nodded cordially as Lance motioned to him.

"Finally, there's Koga, who supervises all security measures within the base."

Koga gave a slim smile.

"Council, these are the two that I mentioned earlier," Lance said.

I stepped forward. "We seek asylum from the actions of the League. They've wrongly labeled us as criminals and hopeless cases. We'd like to prove them wrong."

"We'd also like to apply for membership if we impress you during our stay here," Aurian added.

Drayden narrowed his eyes. "Both of you?"

Aurian nodded. "Double or nothing."

Koga frowned. "You do realize that you'd break nearly a hundred and fifty years of tradition if you applied?"

"It's time for a change," my friend replied.

I squeezed her hand and she returned the action.

Drayden nodded. "Good for you, miss. Council- are we in agreement about this? Asylum and a membership trial for possible placement into a combat squad?"

"Why not?" Steven asked. "It's not like we have anything to lose. I stand with Lance on his recommendation."

Flint stood. "Count me in. It's time we shake things up around here."

Wallace bit his lip. "Are you completely sure about this, Lance? They're unusually young."

"They can hold their own," Riley spoke up. "I see potential in both."

Koga shrugged towards the Johto champion.

"Excellent," Lance said, clasping his hands together. "There are three elements to membership- hand-to-hand combat trials, a battling assessment, and multiple interview rounds with assorted captains throughout the organization. The next two weeks will be the most challenging fourteen days you've ever faced. Are you willing to dedicate all you have to proving yourself?"

"This is my last chance at staying in the Five Regions. I promise to give my all," I said.

Aurian took a deep breath. "I have nowhere else to go. I'll do whatever I can to prove that I belong here."

"By the power passed on to me by my predecessors, I name Ash Ketchum and Aurian Borealis as probationaries until they prove themselves. Council, are we in agreement?"

Ash and I watched in amazement as all seven Council members nodded- some more hesitantly than others- their approval.

"Welcome to the Trials, Cadets. We will begin with personal combat assessments tomorrow morning at seven sharp. _Do not_ be late," Lance said. "Riley, Drayden, and Koga will evaluate you. Council- you are dismissed. Ash and Aurian- please wait. I'll have a member escort you to your new room."

I watched quietly as Lance pressed a button on a wall.

"Lieutenant Kai?" he said. "We have two new members for you to escort. I think you'll like them."

A knock on the door resounded a few seconds later. Lance opened the door to reveal a tall boy with wild brown hair and dark eyes who waved cheerfully at us.

"Lieutenant, I'd like you to meet our new Cadets, Ash Ketchum and Aurian Borealis."

The boy raised an eyebrow at Lance's introduction of Aurian, but didn't speak his thoughts. "You'll be bunking next to me. See you tomorrow, Commander?"

Lance nodded. "Good night, Hiori."

"Right, follow me!" Hiori said as he led us out the door.

"As Lance said earlier, I'm First Lieutenant Hiori Kai of the Armada, at your service! Welcome to headquarters."

Aurian smiled. "Nice to meet you, Hiori. How long have you been here?"

"A year and a half, and I've loved every minute of it."

I frowned. "How small is the Armada?"

"Very," Hiori replied. "Riley leads us, and there're only about fifteen of us that are active combat members. We have a few notable retired members, like Champion Alder and Elite Four Member Caitlin of Unova. We're the misfits of the organization- some of us have psychic powers, some of us connect especially well with a certain type. Riley's the only one who can use Aura, though. I'm jealous."

Aurian and I made eye contact. She moved a finger across her throat.

"Do you have experience with aura?" I asked.

Hiori shook his head. "Nah, but my twin sister could use it. Lily's been missing for a little under five years."

"God. I'm sorry. Any leads?" Aurian asked.

"Nah, but I know she's still alive. I'd be able to feel it in here," he pointed at his heart, "if she wasn't."

I watched as Aurian continued speaking with the G-Men member. She really could make friends with anyone if she tried hard enough. I saw through her happy-go-lucky mask, though. Every once in a while, a crack appeared, showing a sad, glazed over look or a frown she couldn't hide. It was only a matter of time before her walls came crashing down.

"All right, we're here!" Hiori said. "Here are your keys to room D-301. I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow after your combat trials."

I smiled. "Thanks, Hiori. Where do we go tomorrow for the trials?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll take you up there. See you tomorrow?" the older boy said.

Aurian nodded. "Yeah. Night, Hiori."

He waved as he disappeared into a door next to ours.

"Well?" Aurian said. "We're here."

I slid my key into the scanner on the door handle and waited for a green light to appear. The door swung open in an instant, revealing two twin beds, a pillow for Pikachu, and a small bathroom.

"Not much," Aurian noted while flopping back-down onto the bed closest to the door, "but it's home now."

I nodded. "Yeah."

We entered a companionable silence as we unpacked our things and traded off bathroom usage.

"Question," I said while waiting for Aurian to towel-dry her hair. "How are you?"

"All right, and you?" she replied, sitting down next to me.

"No, I want a real answer. I saw your game face slipping earlier. What's going on?"

Aurian sighed. "Fine." she took a deep breath.

"I'm seven hundred miles from home in a region that I haven't visited in two years, I'm scared of what we might face tomorrow and terrified of what could happen if we don't prove ourselves, I'm worried about my family and the backlash that they'll get from all of this; I'm worried that Matt will start acting out because Atticus forgets to take his opinions into account sometimes."

My heart sank. We were opposites through our families- I had a small but stable family and a reliable place to come back to no matter what happened. Aurian had a shattered family with a member trying to pick up the pieces from three regions over. She couldn't go home yet because her home was torn apart piece by piece by the woman who raised her.

A single tear traced a line down her cheek.

"Hey, hey, I'm here," I said as she leaned her head on my shoulder. "Let it out."

My friend buried her face in my shirt and cried while I hugged her. Each tear broke her walls down a little further until she sat in the ruins of the pressure she put on herself.

"Thanks," she whispered. "I needed that."

"I wasn't all that far behind you," I said.

"The manly Ash Ketchum, crying?" she replied with a sniffle.

I nudged her shoulder. "It's happened before."

"We need sleep," she said, clambering over to her mattress. "See you tomorrow?"

I nodded. "Of course. You all right now?"

"I'll manage. Night, Ketchum."

"Same to you, Borealis."

I turned off the light as Pikachu climbed up onto my pillow, dissatisfied with his own.

Our world had officially fallen to pieces.


End file.
